Combination wash-over and cutting tool



March 24, 1942. w, CAROTHERS 2,277,580,

COMBINATION WASHOVER AND CUTTING TOOL Filed July 28, 1941 aaauu INVENTQRATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 24, 1942 COMBINATION WASH-OVER- AND CUTTING TOOLWilliam F. Carothers, New Iberia, La.

Application July 28, 1941, Serial No. 404,425

7 Claims.

My invention relates .broadly to cutting tools.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a novel cuttingtool of the type adapted to be slipped over a length of pipe andthereafter actuated to cut the pipe into two parts.

My invention is particularly adapted to be used for removing pipe fromoil wells or the like. The fact that the drill pipe of the well presentsa construction which admits of the use of my invention is not to beconstrued as a limitation and it is to be understood that I do not Wishto restrict the invention to any particular application.

It not infrequently occurs in the drilling of wells by a rotary systemthat the drill pipe is sometimes lost in the well. The losing of thepipe may result from the twisting off of the pipe or as a result of itsbeing inadvertently disconnectedfrom the tool. When the drill pipe isthus disconnected, the sand will pack around the lower end thereof andthe mud normally pumped through the pipe during drilling operations willsettle byreason of the lack of circulation. The packing of the sand andsettling of the mud prevents the casing from being lifted from the welland, in order to remove the drill pipe, it becomes necessary to washover the portion of the pipe thus embedded and to thereafter insert acutter to remove the washed over portion of the pipe. It is thennecessary to wash over another portion of the pipe and to again insertthe cutter to remove another portion of the pipe. This washing andcutting process is continued until the entire pipe has been removed fromthe well.

To my knowledge it has heretofore been neces sary to first insert a washpipe into the well for removing the sand and mud that is packed aroundthe pipe before it is possible for the cutting tool to be introducedinto the well. It has, therefore, been necessary that the wash pipe beremoved before the'cutte-r is placed in the well and, obviously, thealternate applications of the wash and cutter means will require theexpenditure of considerable time and labor.

It is, therefore, another object of my invention to provide acombination washover and cutting tool wherein both of the aboveoperations may be simultaneously performed, which tool, being compactlyassembled, embodies a minimum number of parts and is efficient andefficacious in the performance of its duties.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during thecourse of the following description.

In the drawing, forming a part of this specion the line 44 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5--5-of Figure1, and

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of my device, showing theworking parts thereof in a position to advance the cutting blades intooperative relation with a pipe section.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration, isshown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral l0 describes atubular cutter body, the upper end I I of which is formed with aninternally screwthreaded annular socket I2. As best illustrated inFigures 1 and 6, the lower end 13 of a tubular connection 14 is ofreduced external diameter and the reduced portion is externallyscrewthreaded to permit the same to be screw-threadedly connected in thesocket I2. The cutter body I0 and connection l4 have the same externaldiameter whereby the peripheral surface of the connection will joinsmoothly with the outer peripheral surface of the body when the partsare connected in the above-described manner. The upper end 15 of theconnection is internally screw-threaded and a coupling IB is formed witha longitudinally extending external screwthreaded annulus I! receivedwithin the upper end of the connection. The upper end of the coupling isprovided with internal threads I 8 which permit the same to be attachedto a line of pipe 9 to which the device is attached for insertion intothe well. The lower end 19 of the cutter body is of reduced externaldiameter and this reduced portion is externally screw-threaded toreceive the internal threads 20 of the rotary shoe 2|. The shoepreferably is the same external diameter as the cutter body and thelower end thereof is formed with cutting teeth 22 which are adapted tobite into any relatively soft material encountered by the device when itis being lowered into the well.

The shoe 2|, tubular cutter body l0, connection I4 and coupling it areall adapted to be slipped over the pipe section 23 to be removed. Thedevice may thus be inserted downwardly into the well and any materialthat has fallen into the well or lodged about the pipe may be cut awayby the teeth 22. The line of pipe El to which the device is connected ispreferably gripped in a rotary table in the conventional manner, whichtable may be actuated to rotate the device and to cause the teeth 22 tocut away the material packed around the pipe. The loosened material maythen be washed away by a flushing fluid in the usual manner.

When the device has been telescoped downwardly a sufficient distancefrom the upper end of the pipe 23, the rotary table is stopped and thedevice is actuated in a manner presently to be described in detail tocause the working ends of the cutter blades 24 to be moved into pressedengagement with the pipe 23.

As best illustrated in Figure 6, the lower end portions I3 and I9 of theconnection I4 and cutter body I0, respectively, are of reduced internaldiameter which portions, while of lesser diameter than the rest of therespective sections, are of substantially greater diameter than theoutside diameter of the pipe 23. The lower portion I3 of the connectionI4 provides an upper shoulder 25 and a'lower shoulder 26, which lowershoulder is disposed in longitudinally spaced but confronting relationwith the shoulder 21 at the lower end of the body Ill.

The cutter blades are disposed in the same horizontal plane and arepreferably equi-spaced around the body. Each of the blades is disposedwithin a separate elongated slot 28 which extends through the wall ofthe body and the lower ends thereof are journalled on the pivot pins 29.The slots are closed by plates 29 and the blades are normally held inthe inoperative or collapsed position illustrated in Figure 1 by theleaf springs When thus positioned, no portion of the blades will projectinwardly of the internal wall of the lower portion of the cutter body.The lower portion of the slots extends itno the relatively thick lowerportion of the cutter body and the upper portion of the slots extendsabove the annular shoulder 21, whereby the upper working ends 3! of thecutter blades will project inwardly of the portion of the internal wallof the body extending above the shoulder. ends of the cutter blades arearcuately curved to provide cam surfaces 32 adapted to cooperate withthe wedge-shaped lower end 33 of the ring member 34. The member 34,snugly engages the inner wall of the body above the shoulder 2'! and isreadily slidable within the body in either direction. If desired, thering member may be splined to the cutter body to prevent the same fromrotating relative to each other. I prefer that the ring member benormally disposed free from engagement with the cutter blades and I havetherefore provided a plurality of relatively weak springs 3-5, the lowerends of which seat against the shoulder 2'7 and the upper ends of whichextend into recesses 36 provided in the seats against the bottom surfaceof the ratchet The swinging ,1

head 38. The ratchet head is in the form of an annular ring the outerperipheral surface of which snugly but slidably contacts the inner wallof the cutter body. The outer surface of the head is formed with aplurality of annularly spaced recesses 39 each having a transversebottom wall '46 and an angular top wall 4| which extends from the inneredge of the bottom wall to the outer surface of the head. The recesses39 are adapted to receive the ratchets 42 pivotally mounted within therecesses 43 in the inner wall of the cutter body directly below therecesses 39. The ratchets are of generally triangular formation and theapexes thereof are journalled on the pivot pins 44, the opposite ends ofwhich pivot pins seat within sockets provided in the side walls of therecesses 43. Leaf springs 45 seat within elongated grooves extendingabove each of the recesses 43 and the yieldable lower ends of thesprings extend into the recesses to contact the bases of the ratchets ina manner to hold one side thereof pressed against the vertical wall ofthe recess.

It may thus readily be seen that sliding of the ratchet head in thedirection of the ring member 34 will move the bottom edge thereof intoengagement with the ratchets and that continued movement of the ratchethead will pivot the ratchets against the resilient action of the leafsprings 45. When the ratchets are thus positioned, they will be entirelyaccommodated within the recesses 43 to permit the ratchet head to bemoved a sufficient distance to bring the recesses 39 into register withthe ratchets. The resilient action of the leaf springs 43 will thenagain pivot the ratchets to the initial position whereby one sidethereof will project radially inwardly of the inner wall of the cutterbody and into the confronting recesses in the ratchet head.

Figure 1 best illustrates the manner in which the coil spring 31normally holds the ratchet head spaced substantially above the ratchets.Obviously, movement of the ratchet head within the cutter body asufficient distance to permit the ratchets to enter the recesses 39,will tension the spring 31. The resilient action of the spring 3'! issubstantially greater than the combined action of the springs 35 andtensioning of the larger spring will therefore drive the ring member 34against the cutter blades to permit the wedge-shaped bottom surface 33to force the blades against the pipe 23.

The numeral 46 designates a spring setting unit which comprises anannulus 41 adapted to be slidably received Within the upper end of theconnection I4 and an annulus 43 disposed therebelow and separatedtherefrom by a ball race 59. The annulus 41 is removably associated withthe connection and is formed with circumferentially spaced elongatedslots 5I which receive the pivoted dogs 52. The lower annulus 48 isadapted to be permanently retained within the connection I4 and isprovided at circumferentially spaced points therearound with downwardlyextending arms 53, which slidably operate in grooves 54 provided in therelatively thick lower portion I3. The upper annulus 4'! is normallysupported by the shear pins 49 projecting into the bore of the wash pipesubstantially above the coupling I6. After the pipe 23 has been washed,a strain is taken to shear the pins 49 whereby to permit the annulus 41to drop into the connection I4. The upper ends of the dogs 52 swing intothe bore of the connection and the same will therefore ratchet freelyover the couplings 23' connecting Y the ball race 50.

adjacent sections of the pipe 23 when the tool is being lowered alongthe pipe during the washing operation. However, as soon as the wash pipe9 is pulled upwardly to move the annulus 41 relative to the well pipe23, the upper ends of the dogs 52 will engage below the first coupling23'. It will, of course, be necessary to raise the wash pipe 9 asuificient distance to effect engagement of the dogs with one of thecouplings 23' and this distance will be determined by the length of thewell pipe sections. Obviously, continued elevation of the wash pipeafter engagement of the dogs with the well pipe coupling will sever theshear pins 49 to permit the annulus 41 to drop into the connection Itand against The wash pipe is then lowered until the cutting end of thetool is again disposed at the lower end of the washed over portion ofthe well pipe. In order that the spring setting unit may be actuated tomove the cutter blades into operative relation with the well pipe, thewash pipe is again raised to move the dogs 52 into engagement with acoupling 23. This coupling may or may not be the same cou pling againstwhich the first strain was taken for it will be readily apparent thatthe device may be easily lowered relative to the well pipe after thefirst strain has been taken. When the second strain is taken, continuedlifting of the wash pipe will shift the annuluses 41 and 48 in thedirection of the shoulder 25. It will be readily apparent that movementof the unit in the above manner will cause the arms 53 to force theratchet head 38 downwardly against the resilient action of therelatively large spring 37. As soon as the ratchet head moves downwardlyto bring the recesses 39 into register with the ratchets 42, the spring31 will be held in the compressed position. I prefer that this spring beof a size sufficient to develop approximately 1200 pounds pressureagainst the ring member 34. It is to be understood that a spring of theabove size has been found to produce satisfactory results in practice,however, I do not intend to in any way limit the construction of thedevice to a spring of any particular size. Tensioning of the spring 31to slide the ring member 34 in the direction of the cutter blades willforce the working ends of the blades against the outer peripheralsurface of the pipe 23 in the manner illustrated in Figure 6. Actuationof the rotary table supporting the pipe line to which the device isattached will then cause the working ends of the cutter blades to biteinto the pipe and to transversely sever the same. As soon as the cuttershave cut through the pipe, the resilient action of the spring 3'! willforce the blades inwardly upon raising of the device which inwardlyextending blades will act as supports for the portion of the pipe 23extending thereabove. Raising of the device from the well will thereforealso effect removal of the severed portion of the pipe. When the toolhas reached the surface of the ground the mentioned pipe section may beremoved and the device again inserted into the well to efiect removal ofanother section of the pipe in the manner described.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown anddescribed, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or scopeof the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A tool comprising a tubular body adapted to slip over a pipe,normally collapsed cutting blades pivotally mounted Within the body, amember disposed above the cutter blades movable into engagementtherewith to swing the working ends of the same into an operativeposition against the pipe, a relatively strong spring means seatingagainst the member, a ratchet head supported by the spring means, andrelatively weak spring means for holding the member, the first springand ratchet head spaced from the cutter, said ratchet head being movableto a position to tension the first spring by raising of the bodyand'tensioning of the first spring effecting sliding of the bladeactuating member against the resilient action of the second spring meansto move the cutter blades to the opera tive position.

2. A tool comprising a tubular body adapted to slip over a pipe,normally collapsed cutting blades pivotally mounted within the body, amember disposed above the cutter blades movable into engagementtherewith to swing the working ends of the same into an operativeposition against the pipe, a relatively strong spring means seatingagainst the member, a ratchet head supported by the spring means,relatively weak spring means for holding the member, the first springandv the ratchet head spaced from the cutter, said ratchet head beingmovable to a position to tension the first spring by raising of thebody, and means for holding the ratchet head in the last mentionedposition, tensioning of the first spring effecting sliding of the memberagainst the resilient action of the second spring means to move thecutter blades to the operative position.

3. A tool comprising a tubular body adapted to slip over a pipe,normally collapsed cutting blades pivotally mounted within the body, amember disposed above the cutter blades movable into engagementtherewith to swing the working ends of the same into an operativeposition against the pipe, a relatively strong spring means seatingagainst the member, a ratchet head supported by the spring means,relatively weak spring means for holding the member, the first springmeans and the ratchet head spaced from the cutter blades, and actuatormeans rendered operative by raising of the body to shift the ratchethead within the body against the resilient action of the first springmeans in a manner to tension the first spring means for driving theblade actuating member against the cutter blades and to hold the same inpressed engagement with the pipe.

4. A tool comprising a tubular body adapted to slip over a pipe,normally collapsed cutting blade pivotally mounted within the body, amember disposed above the cutter blades movable into engagementtherewith to swing the Working ends of the same into an operativeposition against the pipe, a relatively strong spring means seatingagainst the member, a ratchet head supported by the spring means,relatively weak spring means for holding the member, the first springand the ratchet head spaced from the cutter, an actuator means renderedoperative by raising of the body to shift the ratchet head within thebody against the resilient action of the first spring means, tensioningof the first spring means driving the blade actuating member against thecutter blades to hold the same in pressed engagement with the pipe, andratchets disposed to engage the ratchet head when the which pipe andtool are adapted to telescopically receive a second string'of pipe, ofshear pins extending into the bore of the first-mentionedstring of pipea substantial distance from the tool, a supporting member slidablewithin the said first pipe and tool but normally seating against thesaid shear pins, and dogs pivoted to the support for engaging an outerannular shoulder of the second-mentioned string of pipe.

6. In combination with a pipe cutting tool of the type wherein a tubularcutter body is suspended from a line of pipe and telescopically appliedto another line of pipe to be cut, shear pins projecting'into the boreof the first pipe a substantial distance from the tool, and an actuatormember slidable within the first pipe and tool normally supported by theshear pins, said member having pivoted'parts adapted to ratchet freelyover the inner pipe when the said telescopically related pipes are movedrelative to each other in one direction but to bindingly engage with theinner pipe when the said pipes are moved relative to each other in theopposite direction.

'7. In combination with a pipe cutting tool of the type wherein atubular cutter is suspended from a line of pipe and telescopicallyapplied to another line of pipe to be cut, shear pins projecting intothe bore of the first pipe a substantial distance from the tool, andmeans for actuating parts of the cutter slidable within the outer stringof pipe but normally supported by the shear pins, said means beingadapted to freely slide relative to the inner string of pipe in onedirection but to bindingly engage therewith when moved relative theretoin the opposite direction, whereby to sever the shear pins from the pipeto permit the saidactuator means to move into engagement with the cutterand into operative relation with the mentioned parts.

WILLIAM F. CAROTI-IERS,

